There was always a football player inside Junior Luke. It was only a question how it would be nurtured and harnessed.

“Obviously from a football perspective, you saw a kid that was gifted, that had the ability to do some special things at our level,” said Danny Maciocia, the head coach at Université de Montréal. “We also saw a kid that got away with a lot of things, strictly on the fact he was so gifted. He could take a few shortcuts and still be the dominant player.”

When Luke, a 6-foot-2, 286-pound defensive-tackle arrived on campus four years ago from Vanier CEGEP, he weighed about 325 pounds. He didn’t train, take care or apply himself. He wasn’t fully committed. But Maciocia and his assistant coaches saw a diamond in the rough, refusing to give up on the talented prospect.

Today, Luke’s on his way to a degree in social work, specializing in rehabilitation and preventing drug addiction. He wants to eventually become a coach or work with troubled youth. The 25-year-old also is the 11th-ranked prospect by the Canadian Football League’s scouting bureau heading into Sunday night’s Canadian college draft. And, regardless of what happens this weekend, Luke has accepted an invitation to the New York Giants’ three-day mini camp, beginning May 12.

“He’s athletically gifted. You watch him catch, run routes, throw the ball. It almost defies logic. There’s an athlete in that body,” said Maciocia, a former general manager and head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. “He checks off a few boxes. There aren’t going to be too many like him. I think he’s in a great situation to go down there and open some eyes.”

It’s hard to tell when the epiphany occurred in Luke’s athletic life, but there were plenty of opportunities in 2015. One came on the road, when he overslept and missed the team bus for a game at Bishop’s. He was allowed to dress, but failed to get on the field for one play. That was part of the tough love he required, Maciocia believed.

On another occasion, as part of a team-bonding exercise and maturation manoeuvre, players were asked to address their teammates, revealing something about themselves that had nothing to do with football. Luke talked about his shortcomings, about not being determined. He used the term laziness.

“We use him as a reference now,” Maciocia said. “There are kids that have talent and just haven’t been able to show it. Some of these kids have $100 in their pocket, but they’re only offering you $50. You have to find a way to get the other $50.”

When Luke arrived at CEPSUM, he was playing for fun, without expectations. He cut corners in training, avoided hitting the gym and always seemed to finish last when the team conducted running drills. Then he changed his attitude and diet, avoiding large meals. He also cut out snacks before bed while drinking copious glasses of water rather than his preferred soft drink. He also began to realize, through the guidance and encouragement of defensive coordinator Paul-Eddy Saint-Vilien, that he had the talent to turn pro.

“Sometimes you get a brick wall in your face. You have to step back and realize what you’re doing … get better and try to change something,” Luke said. “You can get what you want by believing in yourself, working your ass off. Make them believe you can do it.

“I’m not the best ever — the best in school or on the field. But I never gave up on what I wanted to do. I understood, but it would go in one ear and out the other. I always had it in me and didn’t want to give up. Running and working out was hard, but I didn’t want to give up. Giving up … you’re a quitter. I don’t want to be a quitter and I’m never a quitter.”

The Carabins won the Vanier Cup in 2014, returning to the national championship game the following season, only to lose on a last-second field goal to UBC. Last year, although Montréal was eliminated by Laval in the conference final, Luke had his most productive season. He recorded 13 solo tackles in eight games, along with six quarterback sacks, one interception and a fumble recovery. He had two sacks alone in the Dunsmore Cup final defeat against the Rouge et Or.

While his Carabins career ended that November day, Luke was invited to the National Bowl, an NCAA all-star game last Dec. 4 in Daytona Beach, Fla. He had three tackles, another tackle for a loss and knocked down a pass. More than 30 scouts attended the game — 14 NFL teams were represented — and Luke was named the most valuable lineman, further solidifying his belief he was ready to take the next step.

“Mini camp will be a great opportunity to show my talent, to show I can play at the next level. It’s another opportunity to enjoy the process,” he said. “I just need to be me and play the way I’m supposed to.

“I think I can play at that level. I didn’t feel out of place. You watch the NFL, NCAA and you think they’re freak athletes. You believe you can’t play there. But they’re not that different. They’re guys that play football, like me. They work the same way. There’s no difference.”

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